men (male humans); women; Japanese maple; trees; kimonos; swords; streams; mountains; warriors
The heroic figure Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021), together with his entourage called the "Four Heavenly Kings / Shitenno," was asked to clear Mt. Oe of the demon Shuten Doji, who ate men and captured beautiful women to serve him. Here they...
children (people by age group); women; men (male humans); kimonos; trees; flowers; mountains
Several myths surround Kintaro, a boy who grew up in the mountains and could speak animal languages, shown here with monkeys and the woman who helped raise him, Yamauba. Kintaro joined the legendary warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021) when he...
Rashomon was the main gate into Kyoto and haunted by the demon Ibaraki, which lived in the rafters of the gate. Here, the hero Watanabe no Tsuna approaches the gate astride a prancing, blue-eyed, brown horse in a tremendous downpour indicated by...
The famous warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021), also known as Raiko, was devoted to the goddess Benzaiten, who appeared to him in a dream and gave him a special bow and arrow to help him in the way of the martial arts.
Watanabe no Tsuna (953-1025), one of Minamoto Yorimitsu's four lieutenants (see Plate 115), volunteered to investigate strange appearances at Rashomon, the great gateway to Kyoto. There he encountered a beautiful but mysterious woman, who later...
Watanabe no Tsuna, a Heian retainer of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, accepted a dare to keep vigil at the Rasho Gate, reputed to be haunted by demons. He took up a post at the gate, and in the darkness, he was attacked by the demon--an oni. Drawing his...
